Tuesday – 17th September, 2024
12:30pm-1:20pm
Registration
1:20PM-1:25PM
Opening & Welcome Remarks
BOOTCAMP MODERATOR
Raquel Wilson is Of Counsel with Higgs & Johnson. She’s a member of the firm’s Private Client and Wealth Management practice groups. She has over 19 years’ experience in the legal and financial services profession, specializing in private client, real estate, trusts and estates, immigration, wills and probate matters.
Prior to joining Higgs & Johnson, Raquel was a Senior Associate at a Tier 1 Law Firm. She served as Deputy CEO and General Counsel for a large international financial institution and General Counsel of a domestic financial institution. As General Counsel, she was responsible for all matters relating to tax reporting and acted as regulatory liaison. She is well versed in regulatory and corporate governance matters, also having served as Chief Governance Officer.
Raquel holds an Associates of Arts Degree from the University of the Bahamas in Law & Criminal Justice, an LLB (Upper Second Honors) from the University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom and a Masters of Business Administration. She is a licensed Chartered Banker and a member of STEP. Raquel also holds an International Diploma in Governance, Risk & Compliance.
Raquel is a Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board and co-chair of the Investment Funds Working Group. She’s a member of the Bahamas Bar Association and admitted as a Barrister in England & Wales. She’s a member of The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple, the International Compliance Association, STEP and the Royal Institute of Chartered Bankers.
1:25pm-2:00pm
SESSION 1
Emerging AML Compliance Issues
PANELIST
Fareda D. Sands is considered to be a thought leader in the Compliance, Risk and Anti-Money Laundering space in The Caribbean. With over twenty-five years in the industry, she Heads Initium Novum Enterprise Ltd. The Firm, provides an array of offerings including advisory services specializing in Financial Services Regulations, inclusive but not limited to: AML/Risk Training, Corporate Governance Training, Expert Witness Testimony and Investigations.
She is a Fellow in The International Compliance Association and also holds the CAMS designation along with various other certifications in the AML, Compliance, Risk and Financial Crimes space. She brings this wealth of knowledge to her firm. She’s a Chartered Banker (MCBI), who has attained a specialized Chartered Bankers Master’s in Business Administration (CBMBA) Degree from Bangor University in Wales. She also holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Financial Crime and Compliance in Digital Society with Distinction, from The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Her goal for attaining this additional specialized degree was to further enhance her Firm’s offerings and provide her clients with additional resources to assist them in achieving their business goals.
She is a Past President and a current Member of the Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) and Steering Committee of The Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers (BACO).
Fareda is a lecturer at The Bahamas Institute of Financial Services (BIFS).
She also serves as a Director and Steering Committee Member of the Caribbean Regional Compliance Association Company (CRCA). She is a former Director and Secretary of the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB).
Fareda is passionate about what she does and continues to be a sought-out speaker for local and international conferences.
PANELIST
Maria Dorsett is the Chief Compliance Officer / Money Laundering Reporting Officer at EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd, responsible for Financial Crime Compliance, Regulatory Compliance and Conduct Risk Compliance. She has worked in the Bahamas’ financial services industry for 18 years with 16 years in the Compliance field.
She is a Fellow of the International Compliance Association (ICA), a member of The Association of Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS) and a Certified AML Professional with the Florida International Bankers Association (FIBA). She has served on the Executive Committee of The Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers for 5 consecutive terms from 2014-2024, serving as President of the Association for the term 2020-2022. Maria is passionate about the Compliance Profession and is committed to serving the Financial Services industry in The Bahamas and in the region.
Having completed her Accounting and Finance degree at the University of Cienfuegos in Cuba in 2006, Maria speaks Spanish fluently as a second language. She is married with 2 children and in her free time she enjoys travelling, boating / beaching and socializing with family and friends.
2:00pm-2:35pm
SESSION 2
Trust and Fiduciary Services Case Study
SPEAKER
Erin M. Hill is a senior associate of the firm who is well-versed in a variety of practice areas, including banking and finance, corporate and commercial litigation, and trusts/private client litigation.
Erin attended Davidson College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish Literature and Language and a minor in Philosophy in May 2012. While at Davidson College, she spent a semester abroad in Salamanca, Spain, where she studied at the University of Salamanca while fully immersed in the local culture. During her time there, Erin became fluent in Spanish and acquired an in-depth of knowledge in Spanish literature and culture.
2:35pm-3:10pm
SESSION 3
The Future of Digital Assets: Amendments to DARE Act
SPEAKER
Mechelle Martinborough is a Deputy Executive Director, Senior Legal Counsel and Secretary to the Securities Commission of The Bahamas. She joined the Commission early in her legal career having prosecuted in the Office of The Attorney General for five years and practiced four years of civil litigation at Mckinney, Bancroft & Hughes.
Mechelle is currently in the process of overseeing legislative overhauls and amendments to the Securities Industry Act, 2011, the Investment Funds Act, 2019 and the Digital Assets and registered Exchanges Acts, 2020 and is a part of the committee formed at the national level to overhaul and address the countries Companies legislation. Mechelle is responsible for the work of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Commission.
3:10pm-3:15pm
The Suzanne Black Student of The Year Award Presentation
3:15PM-3:25PM
COFFEE BREAK
3:25pm-4:10pm
SESSION 4 - Panel Discussion
The Impact of A.I. on Financial Services
PANELIST
PANELIST
Duran Humes is the CEO and founder of Plato Alpha Design, a Bahamian software consulting firm which specializes in driving digital innovation for businesses. With over a decade of experience in software development, Mr. Humes is recognized for his ability to turn client ideas into profitable, cost-effective solutions.
Under his leadership, Plato Alpha Design has become a leader in driving revenue and reducing operational costs for businesses by identifying and addressing operational inefficiencies through customized and pre-built software solutions, thereby cementing Mr. Humes’ status as a pivotal figure in the technology industry.
4:10pm-4:45pm
SESSION 5 - Interactive Session
Navigating the Job Market: Interview Preparation, Career Progression, and Salary Negotiation
SPEAKER
Patrice G. Taylor is a senior HR leader, consultant and strategist, and an internationally certified leadership coach, trainer, and speaker.
Patrice has tapped into her global assignment, which is to speak life to purpose, activate hidden potential and cultivate the principles of servant leadership, values-based leadership, and a growth mindset. As the CEO of Hephzibah HR Training and Development, she carries out the mission of providing soft skills training, professional and organizational development strategies, and support for optimal individual performance and sustainable, profitable organizational structures.
As a former Vice President of Human Resources in the Private Banking Sector, Patrice employs her extensive experience, skills, and competencies to help leaders navigate their leadership journey using the foundational tenets of influence, growth, emotional intelligence, relationship building, and maximization of potential. Some of the local and international companies she has been privileged to work with include The Avasant Foundation, Lowes Pharmacy, Lombard Odier & Cie, Doctors Hospital, BRON Limited, JA Bahamas and Princess Margaret Hospital.
Patrice believes that personal development is a leader’s greatest investment and to date, her personal development pursuits have yielded a Master of Education degree from Kent State University School of Psychology, a BSc degree in Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington, a certificate in Training and Facilitation from the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business – Nova Southeastern University, and the senior international HR designations of SHRM-SCP and SPHRi. She is also a certified and licensed John Maxwell Coach, Trainer and Speaker.
OUR SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSORS
TOTE BAG SPONSOR
COFFEE BREAK SPONSOR
CORPORATE SPONSORS
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Senator the Honourable Ryan Pinder is the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas having been appointed on September 20, 2021 after the general elections were held in The Bahamas and the Progressive Liberal Party were voted in as the Government. Ryan Pinder was the Member of Parliament for the Elizabeth Constituency and the Minister of Financial Services and Trade in the former Progressive Liberal Party government.
Mr. Rolle was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of The Bahamas in January 2016. Prior to this, he served as the Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance; and before this, he served on the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a Senior Advisor to the Executive Director for Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean Constituency.
Patrice G. Taylor is a senior HR leader, consultant and strategist, and an internationally certified leadership coach, trainer, and speaker. Patrice has tapped into her global assignment, which is to speak life to purpose, activate hidden potential and cultivate the principles of servant leadership, values-based leadership, and a growth mindset.